Communications Impact Report

Communications Impact Report 2020 Whitley Awards

Contents:

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5 Introduction

6 PR Training and Support

7 High Profile Advocates

8 2020 Comms Impact Summary

9 2020 Winners

10-11 2020 Whitley Awards Press Coverage Highlights

12-13 2020 Whitley Awards Digital Comms Highlights

14-17 Patrícia Medici

18-19 Abdullahi Hussein Ali

20-21 Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh

22-23 YokYok ‘Yoki’ Hadiprakarsa

24-25 Gabriela Rezende

26-27 Jeanne Tarrant

28-29 Phuntsho Thinley

30-32 Alumni Highlights

33 Awards and Accolades

34-35 Case Study: Caleb Ofori- Boateng

36-37 Case Study: Purnima Barman

Funding is just part of what conservationists need. In addition to receiving £40,000, Whitley Award winners are welcomed to the world stage.

Media coverage builds local pride for, and participation in, projects on-the-ground. Furthermore, it helps winners inspire philanthropic support from new sources, kick-starting a snowball effect that continues to bolster project funding. As their profile is raised, winners also have the chance to connect with other conservationists to share approaches, results and resources. In turn, with greater credibility, they are in a better position to influence environmental policy on a national scale. Many even go on to become world leading conservationists.

Around the world the impact of COVID-19 on our winners was profound. They faced delays, a reduction in income from livelihoods and ecotourism, as well as an increase in harmful activities such as poaching and logging by people struggling to survive.

In London, WFN cancelled our prestigious awards ceremony for the first time in the charity’s 28 year history. Yet this presented an opportunity to share our winners’ stories with a global audience online. Our Communications Impact Report for the 2020 Whitley Awards summarises the success we’ve found in prioritising digital press and communications.

Providing a Platform

The 2020 Challenge

Whitley Awards

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Winning a Whitley Award is a career-defining moment. Our flagship prizes are won competitively following assessment by an expert panel. Whitley Award winners are grassroots environmentalists leading projects in their home countries across the global south; through them, we support successful conservation that is rooted in science and implemented with communities.

Objectives:

The Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) is a wildlife conservation charity offering recognition, training and grants to support the work of proven grassroots conservation leaders across the global south

To find, recognise, and fund proven grassroots conservation leaders in the global south

Champion and repeat fund the most effective winners

Support the replication and growth of conservation solutions

Raise awareness of the work of winners and spread the message that we can all make a difference to the conservation of wildlife and wild places

Mission

The WFN family includes high profile individuals whose endorsement further raises winners’ profiles.

HRH The Princess Royal has been a Patron of WFN for 22 years and has never missed an awards ceremony. In August 2020 she edited a 70th birthday edition of Country Life magazine (readership of 206,000) and featured WFN’s Founder, Edward Whitley OBE, as her ‘Conservation Champion’.

Britain’s best-known natural history filmmaker, Sir David Attenborough, has been a Trustee of WFN since 2005 and continues to narrate films for each winner.

The online 2020 Whitley Awards Ceremony was hosted by two more household names: WFN Ambassadors Kate Humble and Tom Heap. Kate was recognised on the Woman’s Hour Power List 2020 for inspiring multiple generations of TV viewers, while Tom is an investigative journalist on BBC1’s Countryfile, principal voice of Radio 4’s Costing the Earth and a Panorama reporter.

WFN Ambassador Alastair Fothergill is a director of Silverback Films Ltd and behind 5 of the top 10 grossing natural history films ever made. He was series producer of Netflix’s Our Planet and is the executive producer of new BBC One series Perfect Planet.

High Profile Advocates

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As well as project funding, Whitley Award winners also receive PR support, publicity materials and tailor-made films narrated by WFN Trustee, Sir David Attenborough, which are distributed to the UK and overseas media.

In addition, WFN offers professional media and speech training (delivered virtually in 2020). This helps Whitley Award recipients to effectively communicate their work to an international audience and capitalise on the media attention following their win. By enabling our winners to leverage their success, together we can accelerate a conservationist’s career.

of winners said the Whitley Award increased access to in-country media

of winners said the Whitley Award increased access to decision makers in their home countries

79% 70% 94%

79%

PR Training and Support

*86 respondents out of 129 Whitley Award winners surveyed for the WFN 25 Year Impact Assessment

of winners feel that receiving the Whitley Award increased their profile

of winners said the Whitley Award increased access to international donors

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2020 Winners

The main section of this report features highlights from the coverage of our 2020 Whitley Awards announcement, then delves into regional, national and international coverage about each winner.

Patrícia Medici · Brazil (Whitley Gold Award)Tapirs as conservation flagshipstapirconservation.org.br

Gabriela Rezende · BrazilConnecting black lion tamarin populations in the Atlantic Forestipe.org.br

Abdullahi Hussein Ali · KenyaA landscape-level approach to conserve the hirola antelopehirolaconservation.org

Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh · NigeriaAdvancing participatory conservation action for rare chimpanzeesswnigerdeltaforestproject.org.ng

YokYok ‘Yoki’ Hadiprakarsa · IndonesiaSaving the last stronghold of the Helmeted Hornbillrangkong.org

Jeanne Tarrant · South AfricaA country-wide strategy for amphibiansewt.org.za

Phuntsho Thinley · BhutanStepping up patrols to preserve the alpine musk deerrspnbhutan.org

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Press Coverage

These headline figures are based on UK and international coverage tracked by WFN and Liquid PR; without a formal media monitoring service in place they represent a conservative estimate:

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items in total featuring Whitley Award winners206

broadcast features, including TV, radio and podcast interviews

articles in UK print and online

pieces in international print and online

2020 Communications Impact Summary

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Digital Communications

WFN uses our own website and social media platforms to amplify Whitley Award winners’ work. Follow us at @WhitleyAwards on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

followers in December 2020 – an increase of 25% from January 20204.5k

4.7k4.6k

73k

followers in December 2020, with our tweets reaching 836.5k people over the course of the year

followers in December 2020 – 92% year-on-year growth, with a 380% increase in total annual engagements

users on WFN’s website in 2020, intiating 92k sessions and including a 4% increase in new visitors

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2020 Whitley Awards Press Coverage Highlights

Following our announcement of the 2020 Whitley Award winners, there were a number of high profile media outlets that featured this year’s recipients, including the following highlights:

The Guardian · 6 May 2020 · UKImage gallery · Over 62 million unique visits worldwide per month‘Winners of the 2020 Whitley wildlife conservation awards’http://theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2020/may/06/winners-of-the-2020-whitley-wildlife-conservation-awards-in-pictures

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Kate on Conservation · 29 April 2020 · UKInfluential wildlife conservation blog · Readership of 4,500 ‘Winners of the 2020 Green Oscars announced’http://kateonconservation.com/2020/04/29/2020-green-oscars

Geographical · 14 May 2020 · UKImage gallery · Readership of 106,000‘Meet the 2020 Whitley Award winners’http://geographical.co.uk/nature/wildlife/item/3691-in-pictures-who-won-this-year-s-whitley-awards

National Geographic Kids · Summer 2020 · UK Four pages in print · Circulation of 110,000 (biggest selling kids magazine)‘Meet the Conservation Champions’

GEO · 12 May 2020 · International Image gallery · 426,000 unique visits per month‘Here are the Conservationists Honored at the 2020 Whitley Awards’http://photo.geo.fr/voici-les-defenseurs-de-la-nature-recompenses-aux-whitley-awards-2020-41618

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euronews · 12 May 2020 · International Europe’s most watched news channel‘Green Oscars Award Conservation Heroes for Saving Endangered Animals’http://euronews.com/living/2020/05/07/green-oscars-award-conservation-heroes-with-60k-for-saving-endangered-animals

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2020 Whitley Awards Digital Comms Highlights

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There was a silver lining to posponing our prestigious Whitley Awards ceremony for the first time in the charity’s history: the opportunity to prioritise our online, global community. Our digital comms campaigns focused on the announcement of our winners in April 2020, then on our virtual awards ceremony in December 2020 with the following highlights:

Whitley Awards 2020: A Celebration #WorkFromHope · December 2020While the pandemic prevented us from coming together in person, we hosted an online celebration of the 2020 Whitley Award winners in December; watch it here. The show was streamed live on YouTube and has been watched by 3,000 people. Overall, our videos were viewed 54.5k times on YouTube in 2020.

Such a hopeful and inspirational evening.”

This is beyond inspiring and more important than anything else currently on TV.”

The @WhitleyAwards tonight on YouTube is the best thing I’ve watched on TV all lockdown! (I’ve watched a lot of TV). #WorkFromHope is an immense message!”

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Twitter

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YouTube live chat

Twitter

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#ReverseTheFade · April 2020This campaign featured images from our Whitley Award-winning projects, faded out by the percentage of species decline. The hashtag had 1,000 interactions including like, shares and comments and grew WFN’s Instagram following by 296.8% compared to weeks prior.

Whitley Award Winners Announcement · April 2020During our awards week there was 550% increase in people visiting the WFN website, compared with average weekly visits. 4,000 people visited on 29th April when we announced the winners – a 2000% increase on our average daily visits.

Fact Files · November 2020In the lead up to our online ceremony we used Twitter threads, Facebook photo albums and Instagram stories to amplify the voice of each Whitley Award winner. On Twitter alone these threads reached 35k people.

Patrícia Medici

Tapirs as conservation flagships in BrazilWinner of the 2020 Whitley Gold Award

G1 - Globo.com · 29 April 2020 · BrazilTV and online · Audience of 60 million’Scientists working in West Paulista are awarded for environmental conservation work’http://g1.globo.com/sp/presidente-prudente-regiao/noticia/2020/04/29/cientistas-que-atuam-no-oeste-paulista-sao-premiadas-por-trabalhos-de-conservacao-ambiental.ghtml

Correio Do Estado · 29 April 2020 · BrazilOnline · Readership of 1 million‘Researcher working in the Pantanal receives the world’s largest environmental conservation award’https://correiodoestado.com.br/correio-b/pesquisadora-recebe-maior-premio-de-conservacao-ambiental/371391

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I had an exceptional opportunity to promote tapir conservation through the press, having been honoured with the Whitley Gold Award. It generated a lot of media attention in Brazil, as well as internationally.”

Regional Coverage Highlights:

CicloVivo · 29 April 2020 · BrazilOnline · Readership of 377,177‘Brazilians receive the world’s largest environmental conservation award’http://ciclovivo.com.br/planeta/meio-ambiente/brasileiras-recebem-maior-premio-de-conservacao-ambiental-do-mundo/

TV Fronteira · 29 April 2020 · BrazilTV · Audience of 890,000‘Scientists working in the West of São Paulo receive an award for environmental care’https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8518604/ and https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8519665/

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Globo Rural · 3 May 2020 · BrazilTV · Audience of 3 million’Two Brazilian scientists received the biggest award in the field worldwide - Green Oscars’https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8527979/

Razoes Para Acreditar · 4 May 2020 · BrazilOnline · Readership of 1 million‘Brazilian researchers win the world’s largest environmental conservation award’https://razoesparaacreditar.com/brasileiras-vencem-oscar-verde-conservacao/

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Talk Talk News · 29 April 2020 · UK Online‘Why it’s time to appreciate South America’s underrated animal hero’https://more.talktalk.co.uk/news/2020/04/29/why-its-time-to-appreciate-south-americas-underrated-animal-hero

BBC Wildlife Magazine · July 2020 · UK Full page in print · Circulation of 266,000‘Meet the scientist: Dr Patricia Medici’ by Jo Price

El Democrata · 30 April 2020 · Mexico Online‘Patrícia Medici awarded Whitley Gold award for work with tapirs’https://eldemocrata.com/otorgan-a-patricia-medici-premio-whitley-gold-por-labor-con-tapires/

Following her Whitley Gold Award win, Patricia and her work were featured in over 100 articles, interviews, podcasts, TV and radio broadcasts. The news was also shared across more than 70 Instagram profiles, with a collective 9 million followers.

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Mongabay · 24 June 2020 · International Online · 12.3 million views per month‘World’s top tapir expert prepares for unprecedented Amazon mission’https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/worlds-top-tapir-expert-prepares-for-unprecedented-amazon-mission/

Maville · 13 May 2020 · France Online ‘She received the “green Oscar”: who is Patrícia Medici, the defender of the tapirs?’https://saint-brieuc.maville.com/actu/actudet_-elle-a-recu-l-oscar-vert-qui-est-patricia-medici-la-defenseuse-des-tapirs-_54135-4099327_actu.Htm

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

The Northern Echo · 2 May 2020 · UK Three full pages in print · Circulation of 20,300‘Beasts with a PR problem: Sarah Marshall meets the winner of this year’s Whitley Fund for Nature Gold Award, Patiricia Medici, who studies Brazil’s lowland tapirs’

Abdullahi Hussein Ali

A landscape-level approach to conserve the hirola antelope in Kenya

BBC News · 7 July 2020 · UK Broadcast · 39 million viewers‘Saving one of the world’s rarest antelope’https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-53367092/saving-one-of-the-world-s-rarest-antelope

Citizen TV · 30 April 2020 · KenyaOnline · Readership of 2 million‘Kenyan conservationist Abdullahi Hussein bags the coveted Whitley Award’https://citizentv.co.ke/news/kenyan-conservationist-abdullahi-hussein-bags-the-coveted-whitley-award-331384/

Tuko · 29 April 2020 · Kenya Kenya’s top digital news platform‘Kenyan conservationist Abdullahi Hussein bags KSh 5.3M award for protecting hirola antelope’https://www.tuko.co.ke/354333-kenyan-conservationist-abdullahi-hussein-bags-ksh-53m-award-protecting-hirola-antelope.html

The Standard · 3 May 2020 · KenyaOnline · Readership of 50 million‘Kenyan among 2020 “Green Oscars’ Award global winner’ https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001370002/kenyan-among-2020-green-oscars-award-global-winners

Business Today Kenya · 1 May 2020 · KenyaOnline‘Wild Love: Kenyan Man Gets Sh5 Million Gift From World’s Rarest Antelope’https://businesstoday.co.ke/kenyan-conservationist-honoured-by-whitley-awardsfor-efforts-to-save-worlds-rarest-antelope-hilora/

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The Whitley Award has had an incredible impact on my conservation effort, enhancing my profile and influence as an individual as well as highlighting the plight of the Critically Endangered hirola antelope. More importantly, it has been a source of deep inspiration for my rural community.”

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

Africa Times · 29 April 2020 · Africa Print and online · Readership of 153,998‘Three African conservation leaders receive Whitley Awards’https://africatimes.com/2020/04/29/three-african-conservation-leaders-receive-whitley-awards/

Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh

Advancing participatory conservation action for Nigeria’s rare chimpanzees

Daily Sun · 29 April 2020 · Nigeria Online‘Nigerian conservationist Rachel Ikemeh earns Whitley Award for protecting newly discovered chimpanzees’https://www.sunnewsonline.com/nigerian-conservationist-rachel-ikemeh-earns-whitley-award-for-protecting-newly-discovered-chimpanzees/

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

Rachel won a Whitley Award just as the world was being gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. She used her new-found profile to highlight therisks to chimpanzees, telling the BBC: “Our fears for the chimps are great because they share about 98% of human genetics. They are very vulnerable to contracting or being infected by any disease that humans have”.

BBC · 29 April 2020 · International Online · Readership of 38,664,179 ‘Coronavirus: Fears for future of endangered chimps in Nigeria’https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52471595

Financial Report · 1 May 2020 · Slovakia Online · Readership of 20,000‘The future of chimpanzees in Nigeria is in jeopardy, nature conservationist also fears coronavirus’https://www.finreport.sk/agenturne-spravy/buducnost-simpanzov-v-nigerii-je-v-ohrozeni-ochranarka-prirody-sa-obava-aj-koronavirusu/

Positive Naija · 30 April 2020 · Nigeria Online‘Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh Wins 2020 Whitley Awards’https://www.positivenaija.com/rachel-ashegbofe-ikemeh-wins-2020-whitley-awards/

The Punch · 18 May 2020 · Nigeria Online‘Nigerian bags global conservation award’https://punchng.com/nigerian-bags-global-conservation-award/

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

Conservations NG · 29 April 2020 · Nigeria Online‘Nigerian conservationist, Ikemeh wins Whitley Award’https://conservationsng.com/nigerian-conservationist-ikemeh-wins-whitley-award-%ef%bb%bf/

YokYok ‘Yoki’ Hadiprakarsa

Saving the last stronghold of the Helmeted Hornbill in Indonesia

It is my honour to receive this Whitley Award, which is helping us to amplify our work to end Indonesia’s illegal wildlife trade.”

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

Mongabay Indonesia · 29 April 2020 · Indonesia Online · Readership of 3 million‘Indonesian Researcher Receives Prestigious Whitley International Conservation Award’https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/04/29/peneliti-indonesia-terima-penghargaan-konservasi-internasional-bergengsi-whitley/

World Atlas · 13 June 2020 · International Online · Annual readership of 165 million‘The Story Of An Indonesian Conservationist And His Battle To Save A Vanishing Hornbill’https://www.worldatlas.com/news/the-story-of-an-indonesian-conservationist-and-his-battle-to-save-a-vanishing-hornbill.html

The Jakarta Post · 5 June 2020 · Indonesia Online‘Yokyok Hadiprakarsa: Guardian of Indonesia’s endangered helmeted hornbill’https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/06/04/yokyok-hadiprakarsa-guardian-of-indonesias-endangered-helmeted-hornbill.html

Good News from Indonesia · 30 April 2020 · Indonesia Online‘Yokyok “Yoki” Hadiparsa Receives Whitley Award from England’https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2020/04/30/yokyok-yoki-hadiprakarsa-terima-penghargaan-whitley-dari-inggris

Antara News · 30 April 2020 · Indonesia Online‘Hornbill researchers received the 2020 Whitley Award from the UK’https://bengkulu.antaranews.com/berita/103407/peneliti-burung-rangkong-terima-penghargaan-whitley-award-2020-dari-inggris

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

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Gabriela Rezende

Connecting black lion tamarin populations in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

Mongabay · 14 July 2020 · International Online · 12.3 million views per month‘The woman building the forest corridors saving Brazil’s black lion tamarin’https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/the-woman-building-the-forest-corridors-saving-brazils-black-lion-tamarin/

G1 - Globo.com · 29 April 2020 · BrazilTV and online · Audience of 60 million’Scientists working in West Paulista are awarded for environmental conservation work’http://g1.globo.com/sp/presidente-prudente-regiao/noticia/2020/04/29/cientistas-que-atuam-no-oeste-paulista-sao-premiadas-por-trabalhos-de-conservacao-ambiental.ghtml

TV Fronteira · 29 April 2020 · BrazilTV · Audience of 890,000‘Scientists working in the West of São Paulo receive an award for environmental care’https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8518604/ and https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8519665/

Globo Rural · 3 May 2020 · BrazilTV · Audience of 3 million’Two Brazilian scientists received the biggest award in the field worldwide - Green Oscars’https://globoplay.globo.com/v/8527979/

Razoes Para Acreditar · 4 May 2020 · BrazilOnline · Readership of 1 million‘Brazilian researchers win the world’s largest environmental conservation award’https://razoesparaacreditar.com/brasileiras-vencem-oscar-verde-conservacao/

UK and International Coverage Highlights:The black lion tamarin was not known by most of the locals when this project started. We have developed pride for the species and nowadays, the local fauna is celebrated by local commerce. I see this change in images being displayed on the walls of restaurants, gas stations and hotels in the city. What was not even known before is now shown as a benefit.”

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Jeanne Tarrant

A country-wide strategy for South Africa’s amphibians

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

The Whitley Award has given my profile a significant boost. As well as giving numerous interviews I have been invited to deliver several key note addresses at conferences and appeared on local and national television, including on Africa’s first and only Weather Channel and on South Africa’s longest-running environmental programme, 50/50. In fact, the Whitely Award has really cemented my title of the ‘Frog Lady’!”

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Caxton community publishers · 11 May 2020 · South Africa In print and online · Readership of 1 million‘South Africa’s ‘Frog Lady’ wins 2020 Whitley Award’https://bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za/447340/south-africas-frog-lady-wins-2020-whitley-award-2

People’s Weather Channel · 1 August 2020 · Africa International TV‘Women Who Know Their Weather - Jeanne Tarrant’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyL3UJLz3tE

50/50 · 16 July 2020 · South Africa South Africa’s longest running environmental show, on primetime national TVhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5elUJSiDm8U

The Times of India · 25 July 2020 · India Online · Daily readership of 3 million ‘Our apathy threatens biodiversity — but only nature-based solutions can sustain us’https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/our-apathy-threatens-biodiversity-but-only-nature-based-solutions-can-sustain-us/articleshow/77157050.cms

World Atlas · 2 June 2020 · International Online · Annual readership of 165 million ‘Meet Dr. Jeanne Tarrant, South Africa’s ‘Frog Lady’ And 2020 ‘Green Oscar’ Winner’https://www.worldatlas.com/news/in-conversation-with-dr-jeanne-tarrant-south-africa-s-frog-lady-and-2020-green-oscar-winner.html

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

Oceanographic · 15 July 2020 · UK Online · Readership of 143,090‘Amphibian calling’https://www.oceanographicmagazine.com/features/amphibian-endangered-wildlife/

Phuntsho Thinley

Stepping up patrols to preserve the alpine musk deer in Bhutan

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The news coverage following my Whitley Award win has boosted my profile as a wildlife conservationist at both a national and international level.”

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Regional Coverage Highlights:

Bhutan Broadcasting Service · 29 April 2020 · BhutanOnline‘Phuntsho Thinley, a Wildlife Biologist, wins the prestigious Green Oscars’http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=131650

Kuensel (Bhutan’s national newspaper) · 30 April 2020 · BhutanOnline‘Wildlife biologist wins the Whitley Awards’https://kuenselonline.com/wildlife-biologist-wins-the-whitley-awards/

World Atlas · 25 May 2020 · InternationalOnline · Annual readership of 165 million‘In Conversation With Dr. Phuntsho Thinley, The 2020 ‘Green Oscar’ Winner From Bhutan’https://www.worldatlas.com/news/in-conversation-with-dr-phuntsho-thinley-the-2020-green-oscar-winner-from-bhutan.html

Northeast Now · 29 April 2020 · IndiaOnline‘Phuntsho Thinley of Bhutan winner of prestigious Whitley Awards 2020’https://nenow.in/neighbour/bhutan/phuntsho-thinley-of-bhutan-winner-of-prestigious-whitley-awards-2020.html

Kuensel (Bhutan’s national newspaper) · 23 November 2020 · BhutanOnline‘Bhutan ecologically not feasible to accommodate doubling of tiger numbers’https://kuenselonline.com/bhutan-ecologically-not-feasible-to-accommodate-doubling-of-tiger-numbers/

UK and International Coverage Highlights:

Alumni Highlights

While the immediate profile impact of winning the Whitley Award is the focus of our tracking each year, many past winners continue to secure outstanding press coverage. Here are a few highlights from 2020, from both leading international publications as well as important regional outlets.

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Jon Paul Rodgriguez (2019 Whitley Gold Award)

Conservation Careers · 15 June 2020 · InternationalPodcast · Listernship of 440,000 ’Meet Jon Paul Rodríguez | IUCN Species Survival Commission’https://www.conservation-careers.com/conservation-jobs-careers-advice/podcast/iucn-species-survival-commission-podcast-jon-paul-rodriguez/

Arnaud Desbiez (2015 Whitley Award)

BBC One · 13 September 2020 · UKPrimetime TV · Viewership of 4.5 million Sir David Attenborough’s documentry Extinction: The Factshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mn4n

Anjali Watson (2018 Whitley Award)

CNN · 15 January 2020 · USOnline · 148m visitors per month’Sri Lanka’s leopards are under threat, but this woman is determined to save them’https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/15/asia/anjali-watson-saving-sri-lanka-leopards-scn-c2e-intl-hnk/index.html

Ilena Zanella (2019 Whitley Award)

National Geographic Kids · July 2020 · UKDouble page spread in print · Circulation of 110,000’The Big Interview’

Farwiza Farhan (2016 Whitley Award)

Jakarta Post · 28 November 2020 · IndonesiaOnline’Eco-warriors awarded for efforts to preserve Indonesia’s biodiversity’https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/11/27/eco-warriors-awarded-for-efforts-to-preserve-indonesias-biodiversity.html

Charudutt Mishra (2005 Whitley Gold Award)

National Geographic · July 2020 · UKPrint · Circulation of 100,000’Himalaya ‘ghost cats’ are finally coming into view’https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/07/himalaya-snow-leopards-are-finally-coming-into-view-feature/

Jayson Ibanez (2015 Whitley Award)

Mongabay · 8 July 2020 · InternationalOnline · 12.3 million views per month’Pandemic or not, the mission to save the rare Philippine eagle grinds on’https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/pandemic-or-not-the-mission-to-save-the-rare-philippine-eagle-grinds-on/

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Awards and Accolades

It is the VISIBILITY provided by the Whitley Awards that enables us to do things. Since the Whitley Award I’ve gotten a number of recognitions that have built my visibility even further. The Whitley Award started it all.“

“Patricia Majluf (2006 Whitley Award)

The increased visibility that comes with winning a Whitley Award can start a chain reaction, growing a conservationist’s influence. As more people read about their work, winners are more likely to obtain further support and receive additional awards. Here are just a few of the outstanding recognitions that our alumni have earned over the past year:

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Fernando Trujillo (2007 Whitley Gold Award)

Mongabay · 16 June 2020 · InternationalOnline · 12.3 million views per month’Amazon river dolphin risks extinction if Brazil moratorium not renewed’https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/amazon-river-dolphin-risks-extinction-if-brazil-moratorium-not-renewed/

Indira Lacerna-Widmann (2017 Whitley Award)

World Atlas · 29 June 2020 · InternationalOnline · Annual readership of 165 million’Meet The Filipino Wildlife Conservationist Who Is Saving A Fast Vanishing Cockatoo’https://www.worldatlas.com/news/meet-the-filipino-wildlife-conservationist-who-is-saving-a-fast-vanishing-cockatoo.html

Melvin Gumal (2014 Whitley Award)

Borneo Post · 19 January 2020 · IndonesiaOnline ’Inaugural forum engages youth in conservation’https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/19/inaugural-forum-engages-youth-in-conservation/

Eugene Siminov (2013 Whitley Award)

The Moscow Times · 22 December 2020 · RussiaOnline ’With Lake Baikal’s Key Protections Set to Expire, Russian Eco-Activists Sound the Alarm’https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/12/21/with-lake-baikals-key-protections-set-to-expire-russian-eco-activists-sound-the-alarm-a72305

Kerstin Forsberg (2018 Whitley Award) Changemaker at the 50th edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos

Jon Paul Rodriguez (2019 Whitley Gold Award) Winner of the George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society

Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (2009 Whitley Gold Award) Winner of the 2020 St. Andrew’s Prize, the Aldo Leopold Award, and the Uganda Veterinary

Association’s World Veterinary Day Award

Angela Maldonado (2010 Whitley Gold Award) Winner of the 2020 National Geographic Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation: Latin America

Amanda Vincent (2004 Whitley Award) Winner of the 2020 Indianapolis Prize – the first marine conservationist to do so

Gerardo Ceballos (2006 Whitley Award) Finalist for the 2020 Indianapolis Prize

Charudutt Mishra (2005 Whitley Gold Award)Winner of the E.O. Wilson Living the Mission Award from Zoo New England

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Case Study

Caleb Ofori-Boateng (2019 Whitley Award): Critical Refuge for Ghana’s Togo Slippery Frog

Caleb Ofori-Boateng won his 2019 Whitley Award for conserving the Togo slippery frog (thought to be extinct until he rediscovered the species in 2005).

In the year since, he has not only achieved significant conservation goals – such as protecting 12,000 acres of key frog habitat – but also leveraged his post-win profile to take Ghanian herpetology from a grassroots to a global stage.

In the year following his Whitley Award win, Caleb has:

Delivered a keynote speech at the Global Landscape Forum on Forest Restoration, held in Ghana

Become a founding trustee of the UK-based conservation communications charity, Conservation Optimism, and chaired their inaugual summit in Oxford

Starred on a double page spread in the biggest-selling kids magazine, National Geographic Kids – the circulation of which has increased during lockdown to 110,000

Spoken to the Good Natured podcastabout engaging West African communities through his Conservation Evangelism approach

Been recognised as an international conservation hero by Wildscreen – the renowned film festival that celebrates the art of natural world storytelling

Become a member of the Global Council for the Amphibian Survival Alliance

The Whitley Award has raised my profile in-country by opening doors to very big stages that were not accessible to me in the past. Internationally, the spotlight that the award offered has brought new opportunities, too.”

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Making the Leap from Grassroots to Global:

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Case Study

Purnima Barman (2017 Whitley Award): Inspiring Women to Protect India’s Greater Adjutant Stork

Everything is possible due to the Whitley Award; it the greatest changemaker.”

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Since 2017 Purnima has spread her wings from local activist to leading national figure, achieving social and environmental reform.

She has leveraged her Whitley Award win to garner regional, national and international attention that not only opens doors to further funding, partnerships and influence, but also inspires local pride. Purnima’s ‘Hargila Army’ now boasts more than 10,000 women, leading the charge in the conservation of the Greater Adjutant Stork while benefitting from new economic opportunities. The local nesting colony has become the largest in the world, with the region recognised as an Important Bird Area by the Indian Biodiversity Act.

In the past year Purnima’s continued ascent has led to:

Recognition from the State Governor of Assam and Chief of Police, after receiving the Nari Shakti Award from the President of India – the country’s highest civilian award for women

Interviews on BBC Sounds and the HOPE podcast – established under the UN75 Initiative to highlight solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals

Ten page photo story in BBC Wildlife Magazine

Aljazeera online feature reaching 34 million people

Full page profile piece in The Times of India

Recognition by Nokia as one of ‘India’s 20 Changemakers’, as a result of which local women received new smartphones

An article in Cornell University’s All About Birds magazine, which so enraptured readers that Purnima found a way for her community to sell stork-inspired handicrafts directly to the US

When a Conservation Campaign Takes Off:

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Image Credits

Whitley Fund for Nature110 Princedale RoadLondon, W11 4NH020 7221 [email protected] @WhitleyAwardsUK Registered Charity Number 1081455

Patron: HRH The Princess RoyalTrustees: Sir David Attenborough, Catherine Faulks, Ian Lazarus, Francis Sullivan, Edward WhitleyAmbassadors: Alastair Fothergill, Tom Heap, Kate Humble, Lord Robin RussellDirector: Danni ParksTeam: Amy Forshaw, Brian Johnson, Lydia Johnson, Janice Law, Victoria Thompson, Georgie White

p. 2-3 Joao Marcos Rosa p. 4-5 Khaerul Abdip. 7 Katie Garrett (Gabriela Rezende headshot), Aristyawan C.A (YokYok Hadiprakarsa headshot)p. 14 Katie Orlinskyp. 16 Laurie Hedgesp. 20 Jonathan Mbup. 22 Aristyawan C.Ap. 24 Katie Garrettp. 31 Matthias Fiechter (Charudutt Mishra headshot), Sean Southey (Jon Paul Rodriguez headshot)